Automatic piano mechanism.



A. KUGERAv AUTOMATIOPIANO MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1912.

1,051,961, Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT KUC'ERA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC PIANO MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT KUonnA, a

citizen of the .United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Piano Mechanism; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to music, and more especially to automatic pianos; and the object of the same is to improve and simplify the construction of the valve-actuating mechanism in an instrument of this kind.

' This object is accomplished by constructing the mechanism in the manner hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through this mechanism complete;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have illustrated but one of the mechanisms employed in connection with an automatic piano, and of which there igrammatically the duct bridge from which leads a rubber or other hose H to the mechanisms hereinafter described and constituting the gist of the present invention.

The numeral 1 designates the lower portion of the casing of this mechanism which is mounted upon. and secured to the upper side of the pneumatic P in any suitable way and has a passage 2 communicating with said pneumatic through a port 3, and a valve chamber an: the front end of said passage surrounded at its open upper end by an overhanging valve seat- 5 which 15 preferably a metal disk secured to the top or this portion 1 of the casing and having air-aperture through its center as shown. The lower end of the valve chamber a communicates with air inlets 6 through'the side v of this portion of the casing as usual, and

when the valve 7 is raised the passageQ is in communication with the open air, whereas the descent of the valve closes communication between the passage 2 and the inlets 6 and opens communication between said passage and the vacuum chamber.

The numeral 11 designates the upper portion or cover of the casing which is'fitted upon the lower portion in any suitable manner and has connection at V to a vacuum pump or other device in the machinefor extracting air from the vacuum chamber 12 which is surrounded by this cover 11 when it rests upon the lower portion of the casing. lVithinthe vacuum chamber is disposed a smaller bellows 13, more specifically shown in Fig. '2 of the drawings, whose interior is connected as at 14 with the pipe or tube I-I leading to the duct bridge B. The

Patented Feb. 4, 1913. Application filed May 27, 1912. Serial No. 699,956.

lower side of this bellows is secured upon valve seat 5 and its head is fast in the valve x. The object of this detail of construction is to permit adjustment of the connection between the tongue 17 and valve 7, and this can easily be accomplished by removing the cover and turning the screw in one direction or the other. The object of continuing the upper side of the small bellows 13 into the tongue 17, is to save material and simplify construction, and at the same time to render the action of said tongue entirely positive so that the valve will be opened when the bellows opens, and the valve will be immediately closed when the bellows closes. Finally I provide a weight 20 attached to the rear end of the upper side board of this bellows as. best seen in Fig. 2, and this the hose H and inlet 14 to the interior of the bellows 13, the strong vacuun'i u ithin the chamber 12 causes this bellows to move to the dotted position in Fig. i so that its tongue 17 descends and the valve 7 opens. This closes connection with the air inlets 6 and throws thevacuum chamber into communication with the interior of the pneumatic P, and the latter is closed and a note is struck on the piano. The parts stand in this position as long as the hole uncovers the opening in the ducthridge, but when the music sheet again closes said. opening and no more air is admitted to the interior of the bellows 13, the latter closes as shown in full lines in Fig. l, the valve 7 rises and closes communication between the vacuum chamber and the passage 2, and the latter is thrown into communication with the outside air through the air inlets 6 so that the pneumatic opens and the parts are restored to their original position.

Thus it will be seen that l. have produced an extremely simple valve-actuating bellmvs for use in connection with an automatic piano meohai'iisi'ng one that is positive and quick in its action, has an adjustable con-' nection with the valve so that it can be set to accommodate itself to various piano mechanisms, and yet one which by its location can be instai'itly removed and replaced in case it needs repair.

I do not limit myself to the materials or proportions of parts, nor to the exact details further than is set forth in the following claim:

I claim-- In an autoi'nalie piano mechanisn'i, the combination with he duct bridge, the pneumatic and the casing containing a vacuum chainher, a passage in comnuinication with the pneumatic, and a valve chamber between said vacuum chamber and passage; of a valve in smah'chamber, a valve-actuating bellows: located within thewaciunn chamber and in communication with the duct bridge, the upper side of this bellows being continued beyond its pivotal connection. with the lower side in a. tongue extending over tliovalvo chamber, a screw threaded through said tongue and connected to the valve, and

a weighton saidupper side.

in. testimony wl'iereoi l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two-subscribing witnesses.

A Llllflltl K Utihlltii.

Wiii'iesscs: 7

James NASH, 1 1mm: L. (JAoLitiiv 

